Fair blighted by bad water

TANKERS and drinking stations are once again a feature of a Kiwi summer after yet another town’s water supply was found to have been contaminated.

This time it was Martinborough’s turn after South Wairarapa District Council issued a boil water notice to town residents on Friday afternoon after a very low level of E.coli was detected in the nonchlorinated supply – just in time for the annual County Fair.

A Wairarapa DHB spokeswoman said there had been no reports of gastro-like illnesses since the first positive sample was detected at Martinborough School on Thursday.

Parents with children at the school were informed shortly before 3pm on Thursday and advised that alternative supplies of drinking water had been provided to the children.

A further sample late on Thursday came back positive for E. coli. It was that sample that prompted the council to issue the boil water notice.

Deputy Mayor and Martinborough ward councillor Brian Jephson said the reading wasn’t particularly high, ‘‘but it’s high enough for us to say we need to show a bit of caution. The worst thing about it is that the fair is on today’’.

In its notice to residents the council said water for drinking, food preparation and oral hygiene (brushing teeth) should be boiled to ensure the water was safe for consumption.